Fin radlator



Jan. 24, 1933. A. LAMBERT FIN RADIATOR Fil ed Oct. 15, 1931;

nrromvtr WITNESS PatentedJan. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE ALBERT L. LAMBERT, OII' NABBEBTH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO HEINTZ mu- FAG'IUBINQ COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Fm RADIATOR Application filed October 15, 1931. Serial No. seam.

The present invention relates to fin radiators and like heat exchange apparatus and an object of the invention is to provi e an improved device of this character and a novel 6 and particularly efiicient form of fin therefor- Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of radiator fin in which a better flow ofheat through the fin is secured than heretofore, and thus insure a more effective distribution of the heat therein, and to eliminate the cold spots which frequently exist in fins as they have heretofore been made, and thus secure more eflicient radiation. 15 A further object is to provide increased air ace between portions of adjacent fins Where the temperatures are lowest and where the draft head due to air temperature differences is correspondingly low, and thus provide a corresponding decrease in friction between such portions and the current of air passing thereover.

A still further object is to reduce the weight of the material utilized in radiator fins and therefore economize in the cost of the material, to reinforce the fins against accidental bending or other damage at the points where such damage as would tend to obstruct the air passages is most likely to occur, and to strengthen the fins where they are attached to the radiator tubes.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it, reference should be had to the accompanyin drawing and descriptive matter in which have illustrated and described certain embodiments of my invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a double section, four-tube radiator having my invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a single section, two-tube fin embodying my invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a double sectio(111, two-tube fin embodying my invention; an

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a single sec-- tion, one-tube fin embodying my invention.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, my radiator fin comprises a plate member 1 having a central longitudinal section 2 of substantially uniform thickness throughout its extent. Extending from each lateral edge 3 of the central longitudinal section 2 and integrally formed with respect to the section 2 is a marginal section 4 which decreases in thickness gradually from the central longitudinal section to the outer edge 5 of the marginal sec-- tion. In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which may be'described as a double section, four-tube type of fin, two of the fin sections just referred to are united together along their lateral edges as shown at 6. r In order that these fins may be assembled I in connection with suitable tubular conductors for a heating medium, I provide openings 7 through the central longitudinal thickened sections 2 of the fins and these openings are preferably surrounded by a flange 8 on one side of the fin.- The openings 7 are preferably made by a punching process whereby the flanges 8 are simultaneously produced. These openings and the surrounding flanges provide means whereby the fins may be assembled upon the tubular conductors 9 for a heating medium, and the flan es 85 serve the purpose of strengthening the us at their points of attachment to the tubuhr conductors, and prevent the fins from readily being bent out of their normal position with respect to the tubes.

In using the form of my invention illus-- trated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, it will be understood that the radiator in which my improved fins are incorporated will be so positioned that the central longitudinal sections 2 of the fins extend in the direction of the convection currents of air. Ordinarily the fins will be so placed that the central longitudinal sections 2 are arranged vertically'. It will be obvious, however, that these sections may bearranged extend in a hori- 'zontal direction in case the radiator is emloyed with a forced draft produced by a ihnor other similar device. The pur of the irelativel. thick central longitu mal sectionswhich employ injthe fins isto pro vide, in efiect, an elongated or oval tube.

,7 From principles which are well known, it

will be understood that heat will be conducted freely from the tubes 9 through the 1 central longitudinal sections 2 of the fins,

' tions 2 are heated more or less evenly throughout their le 'of the heat takes p longitudinal sections 2 to the marginal sec- I tion.

: struction offin' functions when aplurality .terial, either cop severed both Ion toform a fin 'suc whereu on transfer later y from-the tions- .4 so that these marginal sections become -heated much more uniformly throughout their length thanthey would'if the rela- .tively thick longitudinal section were not present. This 'results in the elimination of cold spots from those portions of the finswith which the convection currents come contact, thus'producing more efiicientradim In making which my invention is embodied, I prefer to utilizestripsof-m 5, These strips are then rolled in such a'm'anand the beveledmarginal sections 4. The stockthus formed comprises a double section which mayreadily be'severedtransversely to increased air space results 'in a correspondlustrated in Fi 1, 2 and 3. In case a double section, two-tu provide the double section, four-tube fin ilfin is desired, this stock may be severed transversely to provide a-fin of the type shown in Fi 5. In casea single section, two-tubefin is desired, the stock maybe gitud-inally and transversely. as shown inFig. 4, and a.

further severance of the fin shown in Fig. 4 Wlll'lPlOVidG a single section, one-tube of the type illustrated-in -The manner in which my improyed'conofjsu'chfins are assembled on a radiator. tube will be clearfrom the above description,

The number of tubes employed, likewise the number-of fins upon the tubes,'w-ill be de" pendent upon the requirementsof the par ticular-case. .In some cases it may be desir-' able to employ fins of the type illustrated in Fig. 1 'of'the drawing; under other conditions it may be desirable to utilize the type shown in Fig.4; 'unde'r still other conditions the I type of fin "shown in Fig. 5 may be advan- 'tageously employed; or the type shown Fig. 6 may be conveniently used under proper may take, and other arran multiplied to form illustrated-in Figs. 1", 4 and '5, heat from the r or aluminum, or suit able alloys thereo o'f' sufiicient widthto form "the double fin sections as shown in Figs. 1 and .ventionc" Y to the advantage heretofore circumstances. It is be understood that the various types illustrated are merely representative of the forms which my invention ments may read- 11y be resorted to as condltions require. In

any case, irrespective of the numberv of tubes e m loyed and irrespective of the extent to WlllOll fins of thetyge shown in Fig. '6 are nsfof greater area, as

radiator tube "will be conducted freely throughout the length of the thick longitudinal sections,vwhich, when the radiator is in use, are arranged to extend in the direction of' the convection currents. The relatively thick longitudinal sections of the assembled fins thus'have the efiect of a radiator tube having a cross section corresponding to the area of one face of each'of the central longitudinal sections of the fins, and they become eated substantially uniformly thoughout their length. From the centrallongitudinal. jsection heat is conducted-transversely into and acrossthe marginal sections 4 of each fin so that these sections are likewise heated more or less'uniformly'throughout their length. -.As heretofore explained, my improved fins are so arranged when in use that the central longitudinal sections 2 extend inthe direction of the convection currents, consequently" the marginal'sections 4 of the fins extend in the same, direction,- and inasmuch as each' marginal section decreases in thickness from the central section outwardly. toward the lateraledge 5 of the marginal section, the cross sectional area of the air space between adjoining fins is greater than it would be if the marginal sections did not decrease in thickness' toward their edges in this manner. This ing decrease in friction between the moving current of air and the marginal sections of the fins,'and as the draft headdecreases as the distance-from the central longitudinalsection increases transversely of the marginal edges'5 is. an importantfeature of myfin- In 1 addition described for the construction .of my im- 7 proved. fin [whereby the central thickened longitudinal section '2 functions as a tube of elongated cross-section'to transfer heat lon-' gitudinally throughout the fin, the thickened portions also provide'a more substantial sup- "portqfor a radiator in which a number of the fins are assembled. Ordinarily such a radiator will rest on the floor or other suitable support before installation, and the thicking the upper ends of the fins from being damaged, either before or after the installa-' tion ofthe radiator, when tools or other articles are accidentally dropped upon it. It

so that the danger of damage in this manner is not negligible.

The construction which I have provided wherein the openings 7 for the tubes 9 are located in the thickened central sections 2 is also an important feature of my improvement. By making the fins in this manner, the flanges 8 surrounding the openings 7 are necessarily turned outwardly from the thick central section, and thus serve to prevent the fins from being bent or deformed to any considerable extent when the fins are in position on the radiator tube. In this connection it will be observed that the width of the central section 2 of my fin is slightly greater than the diameter of the tube employed therewith so that the additional strength of the central section is availed of in providing the flange by which the fin is supported upon the tube and by means of which it may be secured to the tube in any suitable manner. While I have shown and described a particular form which my invention'may take and certain embodiments of it, it is to be understood that various changes in construction and arrangement may be made without departing fromthe spirit of my invention as set out in the appended claims. It will be understood, for example, that the shape of the marginal sections 4 of my fin need not be such that there is a gradual decrease in thickness from the central longitudinal section 2 outwardly toward the free lateral edge 5 of the marginal section. In some cases it may be desirable to provide an abrupt shoulder where the adjoining sections meet along the line 3, and in other cases a gradual slope may be provided at this point. Irrespective of the particular manner in which the juncture of the two sections 2 and 4 is made, it-will beobvious that the marginal sections 4 may taper from the central longitudinal section to its outer edge, or it may be of uniform thick-.

ness throughout its width, the essential reguirement in this respect being that the conuctivity of the central longitudinal section in the direction of the convection currents be such as to substantially exceed the conductivity of the marginal sections in a direction transversely thereof. This can, of course, be accomplished by making the central longitudinal section of a thickness substantially greater than the magginal sections, or the same result may be tained by the use of a material for the central longitudinal section having a higher thermal conductivity than the material utilized for the marginal sections, in order that uniform distribution of heat throughout the length of the central longitudinal section of the fin may be obtained.

What I desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: j

'1. In a radiator construction, the combination of a plurality of spaced, parallel fins each comprising a, plate member having a central section of substantially uniform thickness adapted to extend in the direction of the convection currents, and a marginal section secured to each lateral edge of the central section and decreasing in thickness from the central section outwardly to the lateral edge of the marginal section, the central sections of the plate members extending throughout the length of the fins; and being provided with alined openings punched there.- in to provide a surrounding flange on one side of the plate members, and a tubular conductor for a heating medium extending through said openings.

2. In a radiator construction, the oombination of a plurality of spaced, parallel fins each having a plane face and comprising a plate member having a central section of substantially uniform thickness adapted to extend in the direction of the convection currents, and a marginal section secured to each lateral edge of the central section and decreasing in thickness from the central section outwardly to the lateral edge of the marginal section, the central sections of the plate members extending throughout the length of the fins and being provided with alined openings and a flange projecting from the plane face of the central section of each plate member around the opening therein, and a radiator tube extending through said alined openings.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s 'fication.

' BERT L. LAMBERT. 

